Latch and lock.



PATENTBD JAN. 31, 19GB.

No. 781,185lv n A.. J. CAMPBELL.

LATCH AND 1100K. APPLVIOATION Hmm JAN. :3.6, 1904.'

" 573, wJ//g vma , citizen of the United States, residing at Washi usual or any preferred construction, exceptthat the keeper has an inwardly curved or UNITED STATES 1 Patented January 31, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREW J. CAMPBELL, WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

l LATCH AND'TLoGK SPECIFICATION forming parser Lettere Patent No. 781,185, dated January 31, '1905. Application led J'annary Z6, 1904. Serial No. 190,687. y

To all whom it may concern: Y c

Be it known that I, ANDREW J. CAMPBELL. a

ington, in the District of Columbia, have invented-a newand useful Latch and Lock, of

which the following is a specification. L

My invention relates to latches, and has for sits objects to produce a comparatively simple inexpensive device'of this character in which the latching member will move freely and smoothl-y into engagement with its keeper and be securely and automatically locked againsty disengagement from the latter until positively released. n y

To these ends the invention comprises the novel features of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafterdescribed. In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is aside elevation of a combined lock and latch y2O embodyingmy invention,illustratin g the parts 5,-and 6 are detail views showing the various steps of the latchingoperation. y

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a' lock-casing, and 2 akeeper, these parts, which are conventionally shown herein, being of the beveled transverse edge 3 for apurpose which will hereinafter appear.

Pivoted upon a vertical axis between suitable spaced bearings or lugs A within the casing is arotary latching member or wheel 5,i

having a plurality of (preferably three) engaging arms or spurs 6 7 8, anyone of which may as the member is rotated project outward' 40 through an opening 9 in the front wall of the casing for engagement with the keeper 2.Y

The engaging lingers or spurs-6 7 8 each has its normally upper face downwardly and-forwardly inclined `or beveled, as at 10, relative to the direction of rotation of the member.

Disposed for rotation within the casing is the usual tubular barrel or sleeve 11, designed for the reception ofthe knob-spindle 12, over l which there is arranged a latch engaging or locking member 13, preferably in the vform of a normallyhorizontal bar, pivoted adjacent to its'rear end and provided at its forward end with a depending extension or continuation 111, the front edge of which is recessed at 15, thereby producingupon the front of the bar a finger 16, the lower edge of which is beveled4 or inclined, as at 17, to coincide with the beveled faces 10 ofthe latch-fingers, with one of which latter the locking-bar engages to prevent 'retrograde ,motionA of the latch.Y The locking member 13, which is weighted to automatically move by gravity into locking position, normally rests upon y av projection or cam 18, carried-by the sleeve 11, ywhereby upon rotation of the latter the member will be raised or moved to releasing position.

vIn practice when the lock is released from its keeper, as shown in Fig. 4, the linger 16 of the locking member will lie in position between a pair of the latching-fingers-say, for instance, fingers 7 and 8-while linger 6 lwill under such conditions through the opening inthe casing. Now as theparts are. Amoved to locking. position the finger 6, will contact with the vbeveledvedge 3 of the keeper, therebyA rotating the member v5 and causing the linger 7 ,through .the acvthe latch and maintainingv the same'i'n secure engagement with the keeperuntil releasediby manipulation of the 1 sleeve 11 inthe manner above explained. Particular attention is directed to the fact that in my'impr'oved constructionthe latch will move with 'ease and freedom into engagement -with the keeper.

and will then be automatically and securely locked in its engaging*position,V l Arranged within the casing 1 beneath the locking Amember 13 isa sliding locking-bolt project l outward 20, designed for operation by a key, as usual. This bolt is maintained in either of its two positions by means of an engaging member 20 in the form of a bar pivoted at its forward end to the bolt and provided at its rear end with a pair of sockets 2l 22, either of which may receive a lug or stud 23, formed upon the adjacent wall of the casing, it being understood, of course, that when the lug enters the recess 2l the bolt will be locked in retracted position and in extended position when the lug enters recess 22. The engaging member, which is raised to releasing position by means of a suitable key, is adapted to move automatically to engaging position by gravity and is held in the latter position by means of the locking member 13, the extension or continuation 14 of which normally bears upon the upper edge of the member 20'.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I produce a simple inexpensive device which will elieiently perform its functions; but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details herein set forth, inasmuch as minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed isl. In a device of the class described, a keeper, a rotary latch member having a plurality of fingers and wholly free for rotation in a direction for any one of the lingers to move into locking engagement with thekeeper, said lingers having their forward faces relative to the direction of travel of the member beveled or inclined, and a movable locking member normally lying within the path of and designed for direct engagement with any one of the lingers to lock the latch against reverse rotation, said locking member being provided with a recess for the passage of the latch member, and with a linger, mortised on one side and having' on the other side a beveled or inclined portion adapted to coincide with and be acted upon by the beveled laces of the lingers for automatically moving the locking member out of the path of the latter during the advance movement ol the latch.

2. In a device of the class described, a socketed keeper, arotary latch member having a plurality of lingers and wholly free for rotation in a direction for any one of the lingers to move into locking engagement with the socketed keeper, said lingers having their forward faces relative to the direction of travel of the latch beveled or inclined, and a pivoted locking member normally lying within the path of the lingers and designed to swing' by gravity into direct engagement with any one of the lingers for locking the latch against reverse rotation, said locking member being provided with a recess for the passage of the latch member and with a linger, mortised on one side and having on the other side a bev eled or inclined portion adapted to coincide with and be acted upon by the beveled face of any one of the lingers for automatically moving the locking member out of the path of the latter during the advance movement el the latch.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ANDRET J. CAMPBELL.

Witnesses:

J. H. JoeHUM, J r., J. Ross CoLnoUN. 

